Something a bit different: I’m exploring the family history of someone I’m not related to, at least that I know of. But I have a connection with her still, my hometown of Buffalo is her hometown.

I was walking around the Buffalo Zoo taking pictures of the animals when I realized a fountain with a plaque dedicated to a young woman named Esther Taylor Wettlaufer. This caught my attention for 3 reasons: (1) I was struck by how young she was – it lists her birth year as 1902 and her death year as 1914, (2) My cat’s name is Esther, so that name was intriguing to me, (3) The two birds just below the inscription were pleasing to the eye. A picture of the fountain and plaque is to the left.

Naturally, I wanted to know more about Esther, so when I got home I started researching.

Here’s what I learned. She was the daughter of Dr. Conrad Wettlaufer and Irene Taylor.

Conrad was born in Canada and he was the son of German immigrants, Conrad Wettlaufer and Elisabeth Eidt. He grew up in Stratford, Ontario, attended Philadelphia Dental College, and in the 1890s he went to Buffalo, where he opened up a dentist office on North Pearl St.¹ 

He married Irene Taylor, the daughter of Henry Dickinson Taylor and Esther Isabella Newton, on Dec. 18, 1901 in Buffalo. Her father H.D. Taylor was a wealthy industrial hardware man. Shortly after marrying, Dr. Wettlaufer left his dentistry practice and joined his father-in-law’s company. He was named president in 1903, a year after his daughter Esther was born.

The Conrad & Irene family is found on the 1910 U.S. Census at 1234 Delaware Ave. Here’s what is recorded about them:

Wettlaufer, Conrad E., head, age 40, married 8 years, President, Hardware Co.
Irene T., wife, age 33, married 8 years, 3 children, 3 living
Esther T., daughter, age 7
Gretchen T., daughter, age 5
Conrad T., son, age 1 6/12

1910 U.S. Census / FamilySearch.org

There are 7 servants in the house (surnames Burkhard, Atwater, Boehringer, Bennett & Radke) & a chauffeur (Frank Radke, age 38, born Germany). A 50-year-old cousin, Emma J. Tress, a widow born in England, also lives with them.

Some more on Esther – she was born Sept. 8, 1902 and died Apr. 26, 1914. While I wasn’t able to find a cause of death (one is not provided in her death notice), it’s such a tragedy for Conrad and Irene having lost their eldest child at just 11 years old. She was buried at Forest Lawn Cemetery. The memorial at the Zoo was another way to honor her memory and that plaque is more than 100 years old.

I found an August 7, 1921 news article about the fountain in The Buffalo Times:

The Shelton Square bird fountain erected in memory of Esther Taylor Wettlaufer is an impressive illustration of how a kindly quality of the human heart can result in enduring good. The fountain which commemorates her love for birds, has proved a blessing these hot days and weeks to thousands and thousands of her feathered friends.”

Given that it is referred to as the Shelton Square fountain, it is likely it was moved to the Zoo at some point in time.

As for a potential connection to my family, if there is one… Wettlaufer is a Hessian surname, and I do have Hessian roots, with Becker being a main surname of interest. Ontario, Canada was a place Hessians commonly settled and some of my relatives from Hesse ended up there. So maybe at some point further back I have a distant relation to this Wettlaufer / Taylor family. No matter what, we have that shared Buffalo connection, and I do love the Buffalo Zoo. Rest in Peace, Esther.

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